COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Capital University men's basketball team took on Muskingum University on Wednesday night, defeating the Muskies 86-68. The win proved to be a much needed reprieve after a tough loss in their most recent game. 

After a tight first half -- one in which Capital (5-3, 1-1 OAC), led by just one point at half time -- the Purple and White exploded for 50 points in the second half to cruise back into the win column. 

Cap was led on the court by the leadership and well-rounded play from Tyler Schreck and a balanced scoring effort from a flurry of Cap players. Schreck flirted with Capital history as he was just one assist and two rebounds away from a triple-double, registering 10 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Schreck also swiped four steals in the game.

Behind Schreck's efforts, Capital had four other players hit double-figures in scoring. David Sanford poured in 14 points, Alex Eyink bagged 12 points, and Keandre Graves and Ryan Roth each netted 11 points off the bench.
 
Justin Nixon matched Schreck's total of eight rebounds to lead the team, while Sanford and Griffin Doseck each had five boards. In the assist column, Capital shared the ball around with 21 team assists. Behind Schreck's nine, were Eyink with three, and Sanford, Dom Moegerle, and Graves with two each. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
As mentioned, the game was tight through the first half as both teams worked to settle into the game. By the halftime intermission, Capital clung to just a 36-35 lead, with the momentum slightly favoring the Muskies (2-4, 0-2). 

Out of the break, Cap immediately came out of the gates looking to garner that control. David Sanford, Tyler Schreck, and Alex Eyink all netted buckets in the early proceedings, setting the tone for a 13-0 run by the Purple and White. Over the next three plus minutes, Capital couldn't miss and sat in defensively to run out to a 15 point lead in the game at 54-39. 

Shortly after a brief back-and-forth, Cap again went on a run, holding the Muskies scoreless and netting a slew of points on the offensive end of the floor. Keandre Graves stepped up big in the second half, knocking down 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. 

The exclamation point on the game was hit with eight seconds left as David Sanford chucked up a shot as the shot clock expired and found the bottom of the net, sealing the game at 86-68. 

THE NUMBERS
Schreck's nine assists, believe it or not, was not a career-high. Schreck dished out 10 assists in a 76-63 win over Manchester on December 16, 2019. 

Capital shot the ball extremely well throughout the game, registering a 49.1% field goal percentage for the game, including 48% from beyond the arc. In the second half alone, Cap shot 53% from the floor and an even 50% from range. 

Shooting the deep ball worked for Capital, led by a perfect 3-for-3 effort from Alex Eyink, a 4-of-7 mark from David Sanford, and a 3-for-6 efficiency from Ryan Roth. 

Capital had one of their better games this season from the free throw line, knocking down 20 of their 24 attempts. 

THE OPPONENT
The Muskies saw two players score 14 points -- Alex Masinelli and MJ Smith. Masinelli registered a team-high five rebounds and matched Tyler Schreck for a game-high nine assists. 

UP NEXT
The Capital men look at a quick turnaround on Friday night, December 10, traveling to University Heights, Ohio for a contest with the John Carroll University Blue Streaks. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST.